High Heels

Our team of specialists and staff believe that informed patients are better equipped to make decisions regarding their health and well being. For your personal use, we have created an extensive patient library covering an array of educational topics. Browse through these diagnoses and treatments to learn more about topics of interest to you. Or, for a more comprehensive search of our entire Web site, enter your term(s) in the search bar provided.

As always, you can contact our office to answer any questions or concerns.

Women invite foot problems by wearing high heels. High heels may contribute to knee and back problems, disabling injuries in falls, shortened calf muscles, and an awkward, unnatural gait. In time, high heels may cause enough changes in the feet to impair their proper function. Most women admit high heels make their feet hurt, but they tolerate the discomfort in order to look taller, stylish, and more professional.

There are ways to relieve some of the abusive effects of high heels. Women can limit the time they wear them by alternating with good-quality, oxford-type shoes or flats for part of the day. Keep the heel height to no more than two inches and make sure the fit for the rest of the shoe is good. Varying heel heights whenever possible to wear shoes as low as possible in each situation. For example, there are comfortable and attractive "walking" pumps for women for work and social activities.

Experts say the best shoes for women may be:

A walking shoe with ties (not a slip-on).

Shoes with a Vibram-type composition sole.

A relatively wider heel, no more than a half or three-quarters of an inch in height.

Several new studies, including one in theJournal of Applied Physiology, have found that running barefoot or in minimalist footwear does not result in greater physiologic efficiency or injury prevention, according to the New York Times "Well" blog.

Indeed, it seems that when it comes to running, one style does not fit all. The Times quotes one expert: "I always recommend that runners run the way that is most natural and comfortable for them.... Each runner runs a certain way for a reason, likely because of the way they were physically built. Unless there is some indication that you should change things, such as repeated injury, do not mess with that plan."